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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:14:13 GMT -5
Right on the money: Story's 1st Fenway HR fuels comeback 2:55 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- It was as if Trevor Story was able to unleash all his frustration with one swing at Fenway Park on Monday night.
Perhaps the game-tying moonshot Story belted over everything in left and onto Lansdowne Street in the bottom of the seventh inning that helped lift the Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Astros will be that shot of confidence a talented veteran needs to start settling in to the pressure-cooker that is Boston.
For Story, you could say that hit was money.
As Story took his first laundry-cart ride in the dugout at Fenway Park, he was holding a toy money-dispensing gun in each hand as fake $100 bills came flying out.
The smile on Story’s face said more than the cold, hard cash.
“It felt great,” said Story. “To kind of get that first one out of the way at home, that was obviously a great feeling and just in the spot that it came was pretty special.”
Story, who signed a six-year, $140 million contract to come to Boston, made it rain -- at least figuratively speaking -- not long after a one-hour and 38-minute rain delay that ended at 10:46 p.m.
While the Red Sox have been doing the laundry-cart rides to celebrate homers since late in the 2020 season, the money guns were a new wrinkle that started Monday and apparently came from manager Alex Cora. Story was the first to start what will undoubtedly become a new ritual for Boston.
“[Kevin Plawecki] gave it to me [after the homer]. I think it was A.C.’s idea. “It was cool. Didn’t know about them. Just kind of a surprise. Yeah, it’s all good fun. They just handed me the guns, and I let them rip.”
Off to a frustrating 14-21 start, Monday was one of the most enjoyable nights of the season for the Red Sox, even though the rain dragged it out.
Though the crowd of 29,706 was notably smaller after the delay, those who stayed created an energy that Story and his teammates fed off.
“Yeah, it was cool. After the rain delay, the fans come a little closer and everyone is kind of just right there, a little more intimate and they gave us energy, man. They always do,” said Story.
However, it was a different kind of energy Story heard on the last homestand. After his fourth strikeout to cap off 0-for-4 performance against the Angels and overpowering righty Shohei Ohtani, Story was jeered by the Fenway fans.
Sure, it is a long season. But Red Sox fans aren’t known for their patience.
This time, the Fenway faithful erupted as he made contact for his biggest hit with the Red Sox so far.
“We know who he is, and we know what he can do,” said Cora. “Here, everybody is grinding, coaches, players and staff members -- everybody. It’s not that because you’re doing well, you’re not suffering for the other guy. It’s the other way around. It’s like, ‘Let’s go.’ We need [Story] to get going, and we understand how important he is to what we’re trying to accomplish.
“He’s a good player. Everybody knows it. He got a homer, a walk and stole a base. The player is dynamic and a great athlete. It’ll be fun when he gets going and helps us win games.”
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The newly-acquired infielder had been struggling mightily to sustain any type of offensive momentum with his new team, particularly at home.
Story entered the night with a .469 OPS at home with no homers in his first 49 plate appearances at Fenway Park.
With a picturesque swing that produced an exit velocity of 106.7 mph and 428 feet, Story demonstrated the type of prowess he was known for all those years in Colorado.
For the Red Sox, who haven’t won a series at home this season, it was important for the homestand to get off to an auspicious start. The fact that it came against the Astros, the team that defeated the Sox in six games in last year’s American League Championship Series, made it even more significant.
And with Story in the middle of it, the Red Sox got an extra jolt.
“That was probably one of our biggest swings, definitely, of the season,” said shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who mauled an insurance two-run homer. “Just us getting back in the game with one swing was better than trying to get some guys on and hoping something would happen.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:15:43 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Sale resumes throwing May 16th, 2022
Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
May 16: LHP Chris Sale resumes throwing In an important development, Sale has resumed his throwing program after being shut down at the beginning of the month due to a non-baseball medical issue.
“He started playing catch. From where we were a few weeks ago to there, that’s a good sign,” said manager Alex Cora.
Sale’s original injury was a stress fracture in his right ribcage that he suffered during the lockout in late February. The Red Sox hope he will be ready to return to action in mid- to late-June. Sale was placed on the 60-day injured list prior to the start of the season. -- Ian Browne
May 16: RHP Michael Wacha tunes up for return Wacha, who was Boston’s best starting pitcher this season before suffering an intercostal injury, fired two innings and threw 35 pitches in a simulated game on May 16. The hope is that Wacha will reclaim his spot in the rotation on May 20, the first day he is eligible to be activated from the 15-day injured list.
“Let’s see how it feels after [the sim game], how he feels tomorrow, then we'll make a decision if [his next start] is right after,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. -- Ian Browne
• All Red Sox transactions INJURY UPDATES COVID-IL 10-day and 15-day IL
RHP Michael Wacha (left intercostal irritation) Expected return: May 20 Wacha tossed two innings and threw 35 pitches in a simulated game on May 16. The hope is that Wacha will reclaim his spot in the rotation on May 20, the first day he is eligible to be activated from the 15-day injured list. -- Ian Browne (Last updated: May 16) 60-day IL
LHP Josh Taylor (lower back strain) Expected return: June Taylor, Boston’s best left-on-left pitcher last season, thinks he is finally turning a corner from a troublesome back injury which has prevented him from pitching this season and recently forced him to be recalled from his Minor League rehab assignment. Taylor is playing catch again and hopes he will throw off the mound within the next week.
“I’m getting a little better,” Taylor said. “It was just a little minor setback, some back tightness. With all that we’ve done so far, it wasn’t really worth pushing through and risking any more injury. The past few days, I’ve been getting better and better, and I think hopefully soon, I’ll be right back on track.” -- Ian Browne (Last updated: May 16)
LHP Chris Sale (stress fracture, right rib cage) Expected return: Third week of June Sale has resumed his throwing program after being shut down at the beginning of the month due to a non-baseball medical issue.
“He started playing catch. From where we were a few weeks ago to there, that’s a good sign,” said manager Alex Cora.
Sale’s recovery from a stress fracture in his right rib cage has been slowed by the non-baseball medical issue. The original plan was for Sale to return to the rotation right around the time his 60-day injured list stint expired on June 4. The latest hope is that he can pitch around the third week of June. -- Ian Browne (Last updated: May 16)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:21:55 GMT -5
Alex Cora steers into potential turnaround comparisons with Celtics By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated May 16, 2022, 6:29 p.m.
Alex Cora has always enjoyed the chance to connect with other New England professional coaches and celebrate their accomplishments. And in the case of the 2021-22 Celtics, the Red Sox can take inspiration in that team’s advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
After all, Cora was in Boston over the winter, when the Celtics were stuck in neutral and there were widespread calls to dismantle the team’s core. Instead, the Celtics preserved their nucleus, altered the supporting cast, and tightened aspects of their game to transform from mediocrity to dominance.
It is a script, Cora said, that is important to consider in his team’s own disappointing start.
“One hundred percent. At one point, people were screaming to break that team up. And now they’re in the conference finals,” he said. “I think patience paid off.
“It’s a long season, and everything can happen. We’re very talented. We know that, but we’ve got to be consistent.
“This is a sport of streaks. You have to avoid the losing ones and get hot, like, three times a year to get that long one. You learn from what you have around and you take off from there.”
Cora reached out to both Celtics coach Ime Udoka and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to congratulate them on dispatching the Bucks. His ability to relate to both, given his experience as a manager and theirs as coaches, is obvious.
But it’s possible that, down the road, Cora might consider the same transition that Stevens made last summer, moving from the dugout to a front-office role. Cora said that his professional future will be dictated first and foremost by his family dynamics, but down the road, the idea of working in a front office could hold appeal.
“I’m not here to manage 25 years. I don’t see that. This is a very demanding job and obviously the sacrifices that family made, it’s a lot,” said Cora, who has been a GM for the Caguas Criollos in the Puerto Rican Winter League and also served in that capacity for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
“We’ll see. It’s something that obviously intrigues me, just thinking as a GM and building teams. But I think the family part of it is going to decide if I do this for a long, long time or I do something different in the future.” Jeremy Peña gets his homecoming
Though rookie Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña was not in Monday’s lineup due to a knee injury, the Providence native — who is hitting .276/.339/.514, with an .853 OPS that leads all qualifying rookies — had a large contingent on hand for his first trip to Fenway as a big leaguer.
“His mom put a little pressure on me,” said Astros manager Dusty Baker. “His mom asked me, ‘Is Jeremy going to play today, because we have 1,000 people coming from Rhode Island.’ ”
Peña continues to improve, and the Astros are hopeful he’ll be able to play in the series against the Red Sox.
Also at Fenway Monday: Mauricio Dubón, a 2013 26th-round Red Sox draftee who was traded to the Brewers in December 2016 in the ill-fated deal for Tyler Thornburg. The Astros acquired him two days ago in a trade with the Giants. Dubon was considered a leader in the Sox system while coming up with a young wave of talent that included Rafael Devers, Andrew Benintendi, and Yoán Moncada.
Josh Taylor frustrated, but getting closer to season debut
Lefthander Josh Taylor, who was placed on the 60-day injured list in early May after suffering a setback in his return from a lower back injury, resumed throwing in recent days.
“I’m feeling good. I’m definitely getting better,” said Taylor, who is throwing at about 75 feet on flat ground. “My arm feels like it’s in a really good spot. So now it’s just a matter of getting back into game speed.” Related: Abraham: With his future with Red Sox uncertain, Xander Bogaerts is just trying to live in the moment
A year ago, Taylor made 61 appearances for the Red Sox, working to a 3.40 ERA while striking out 29 percent of the batters he faced. Now, the lefthander’s best case scenario is likely a return in late June, a reality that he’s had to accept.
“It sucks. I promise you no one is more frustrated than I am,” said Taylor. “[But] you’ve just got to keep your head up and roll with the punches.” Houston’s Jake Odorizzi carted off
Astros starter Jake Odorizzi was carted off the field after suffering a left leg injury on the final play of the fifth inning. With two outs and none on, the Astros righthander induced a grounder to first. As he sprinted off the mound to cover first, he collapsed face-first on the turf and writhed in pain as Astros trainers sprinted to him. A stretcher and cart were summoned. The Astros described the injury only as “lower left leg discomfort,” with further updates expected. Odorizzi allowed two runs on three hits over five innings before suffering the injury . . . Righthander Brayan Bello, the top Red Sox pitching prospect, has been promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, according to multiple team sources. Bello was 4-2 with a 1.60 ERA in 33⅔ innings in Double A this year, a run that included a 13-inning hitless stretch across three outings. “He’s proven that he could dominate that level,” said one evaluator. Bello, who turns 23 on Tuesday, typically features a four-seam fastball and sinker that run from 96-98 miles per hour, along with a changeup and slider that he uses to get swings and misses. Righthanded reliever Andrew Politi (2.03 ERA, 38 percent strikeout rate in 13⅓ innings with Portland) is also moving up to the WooSox . . . Righthander Michael Wacha (3-0, 1.38 ERA in 5 starts), who was placed on the injured list due to left intercostal irritation on May 8, threw roughly 35 pitches over a pair of simulated innings against teammate Christian Arroyo and bench coach Will Venable on Monday afternoon, using his full pitch mix. Cora expressed hope that Wacha could be activated and return to the rotation on either Friday or Saturday against the Mariners . . . The Red Sox are trying to figure out why opposing hitters seem to be getting a better read on righthander Tanner Houck. He’s recorded swings-and-misses on just 10.7 percent of his pitches this year, down from 14.0 percent in 2020-21. In particular, hitters seem not to be chasing his slider as they were a year ago. In addition to the examination of Houck’s mechanics and pitch data by pitching coach Dave Bush and bullpen coach Kevin Walker, Cora looked at video on Monday to see if Houck was tipping his slider . . . Chris Sale, whose throwing program was stopped earlier this month for what the team described as a non-baseball-related, non-COVID medical issue, has started playing catch again in Fort Myers . . . Lefthander James Paxton, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent last April, has yet to resume throwing since he was shut down with elbow soreness.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:25:10 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4h And right on cue, Xander Bogaerts to the Monster Seats. It's 6-3 in the 8th.
Just pay the guy. Seriously.
'Re-sign Xander' chants the remainder of the crowd.
The Red Sox fans have spoken.
Red Sox are 14-21. They've won four of their last six.
Long night for Boston -- 98-minute rain delay -- but a satisfying one. Garrett Whitlock was good. Offense showed signs late.
Two chances upcoming to capture this series, a rematch of last year's ALCS.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:26:38 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 4h At the moment, the Red Sox are actually seventh in the AL in run differential.
(Yes, it's -9. Somehow that's seventh.)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:28:44 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 5h The Red Sox have run into eight outs on the bases this year. Devers accounts for four of those.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:29:55 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 4h Cora: “we grinded with them. That’s a good team. … These organizations have been going head-to-head since 2017. That’s a good win.”
Cora on Story: “We know who he is. We know what he can do. … He’s dynamic. It will be fun when he gets going.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:33:04 GMT -5
Xander Bogaerts hears chants, belts big eighth-inning homer as Red Sox top Astros after long rain delay
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: May 17, 2022 at 12:02 a.m. | UPDATED: May 17, 2022 at 2:40 a.m.
As Xander Bogaerts stepped to the plate in the eighth inning late Monday night at Fenway Park – with most of the crowd dispersed after a long rain delay – a chant could be heard loud and clear from the hundreds that remained.
“Re-sign Xander!” they chanted over and over again.
Then, the Red Sox’ shortstop granted them some affirmation of their wish.
Bogaerts proceeded to hammer a fastball from Houston reliever Hector Neris, a two-run homer to Lansdowne Street that was an important swing in the Red Sox’ 6-3 victory over the AL West-leading Astros to open a three-game set, which was interrupted by a one-hour, 38-minute rain delay in the sixth inning.
“I heard it,” Bogaerts said of the chants. “If I’d have struck out, it wouldn’t help my cause.”
For a Red Sox team that has routinely bottled leads in the ninth inning, it was more than enough breathing room for a teetering bullpen. Hansel Robles gave up a leadoff single but bounced back to earn his second save of the season and first since April 13. The Red Sox (14-21) moved out of last place in the AL East with the victory.
After Trevor Story brought the Red Sox back with a game-tying homer in the seventh, their heavy hitters brought them to the finish line. J.D. Martinez continued his torrid stretch on a night he had already extended his hitting streak to 17 games, hitting a double that brought home Kiké Hernandez for the go-ahead run, before Bogaerts blasted his third homer of the season, which was a critical one.
For all of the Red Sox’ offensive shortcomings through the first 35 games, they’ve consistently been able to rely on Martinez and Bogaerts. The former – who missed time with an adductor injury – has reached base in every game he’s played in this season, while the latter remains among the league’s batting leaders. It’s fair to wonder where the Red Sox would be without them.
“It’s been important since ‘18,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Those guys in the middle of the lineup, they do what they do. Remember early in the season, Xander was chasing a lot of pitches and made an adjustment and he took off. J.D., obviously he’s been hurt a little bit. We missed him on the road trip and he’s very important to what we’re trying to accomplish. …
“Everybody knows who they are. Nothing has changed since spring training. We’re still a good team. We’ve got guys, they do that on a nightly basis. Everybody else has to contribute but there are certain guys there that have done it their whole careers.”
Especially Bogaerts, who is trying to block out the outside noise of this potentially being his last season in Boston as he can opt out of his contract at the end of the year. With so few left in the ballpark for his at-bat in the eighth, though, it was hard for him not to hear the chants and feel loved.
“You always feel the love and appreciation around here,” he said. “Just coming up through the system and being here for a long time to this point, it’s been fun. A game that got a lot of rain, you don’t even know how many people are going to be sticking around and seeing if the game is going to go ahead. I heard it. I just told myself, ‘Listen, brother, just don’t strike out.’”
Other takeaways from Monday’s win:
Story heard the boos in the Red Sox’ last homestand as his struggles continued through the first month, but he came back to Fenway with a strong performance in his return. He made a terrific defensive play in the third – ranging to his left and diving for an Alex Bregman grounder before throwing him out from his knees – before the crucial seventh-inning homer.
The Red Sox had just lost the lead when Matt Barnes gave up a go-ahead RBI single to Jose Altuve, but Story answered right away with his biggest hit yet with the Red Sox.
“It felt great, to kind of get that first one out of the way at home,” Story said. “That was obviously a great feeling and just in the spot that it came was pretty special.”
It was a jolt the Red Sox’ lineup needed.
“That was probably one of our biggest swings, definitely, of the season,” Bogaerts said. “Just us getting back in the game with one swing was better than trying to get some guys on and hoping something would happen.”
Story has now hit two homers in his last 17 at-bats following a career-high 111 at-bats without one.
“He’s been swinging the bat well,” Cora said.
* Matt Strahm continued to be the Red Sox’ most reliable reliever on a night they desperately needed him.
A day after they pitched a bullpen game, the rain delay complicated matters. John Schreiber, who’s become one of Cora’s go-to arms, came in and recorded a strikeout to end the sixth but was unable to return after the lengthy delay. When they returned, Barnes allowed the go-ahead run before Cora turned to Strahm. He hit Michael Brantley with a pitch but responded with back-to-back strikeouts of Bregman and Yordan Alvarez to keep it a one-run game, then pitched a shutout eighth to keep the game tied.
“We get the rain delay, right? And we have the guy who’s going to go out again and we can’t use John the next inning so we’re scrambling,” Cora said. “We’re behind. We were very short because of the rain delay. And he came in and did an amazing job. He’s been doing it since Day One.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:40:21 GMT -5
Lou Merloni @loumerloni · 4h That’s a big win for the Sox. Houston’s playing good baseball. Now they got to take the series. Looking forward to watching tomorrow nights game with @jared_Carrabis . Check out his Twitter page for the link.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:43:10 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 7h shutdowns - meltdowns
5 - 0 John Schreiber 7 - 3 Matt Strahm 5 - 2 Hansel Robles 2 - 1 Austin Davis 2 - 1 Tyler Danish 1 - 1 Tanner Houck 2 - 3 Matt Barnes 3 - 5 Jake Diekman 2 - 6 Ryan Brasier 0 - 3 Hirokazu Sawamura
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:43:38 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 4h Sox better have a plan in mind for their next DH and he better have a plus hit tool and power, it can't be a Schwarber of the world. Having that hitter is so vital, even if you have a couple stud position players, it changes the lineup dramatically.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 3:51:33 GMT -5
Astros @ Red Sox Tuesday, 17th May 2022 7pm @ Fenway
Urquidy 2-1/4.40
Eovaldi 1-1/3.15
Houston Astros vs.Boston Red Sox Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Jordy
The Boston Red Sox continue in their efforts to upend the visiting Houston Astros in Tuesday’s American League tilt. It has clearly been hard times for a Red Sox team coming into this matchup with a pitiful 4-9 home record. Meanwhile, the Astros have won 12 of their last 13 games with five of those victories coming on the road. Jose Urquidy is expected to toe the rubber as the starting pitcher opposite of Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi.
Will the Astros pound the Red Sox? After being spoiled by the struggling Washington Nationals, the Astros will have their hands full in Tuesday’s meeting with Nathan Eovaldi on the mound. The offensive firepower isn’t what it once was in Houston, and they’ll be faced with the task of beating the top of Boston’s pitching rotation at Fenway Park.
Astros starting pitcher Jose Urquidy must match Eovaldi’s production in this game. If he can stave off the bats, Houston can slap on a bib in the later innings and feast on Boston’s bullpen. The Red Sox’s bullpen currently has the seventh-worst ERA in the league for a team allowing an average of 4.23 runs per game at home.
Houston might not be consistently running up the scoreboard, but they’re still packing a big stick at the plate with the team averaging the third-most home runs (1.37) and second-highest isolated power (.179).
That explosive potential is comforting for Urquidy and his relief help because there’s a cushion there if things somehow go off the rails. Urquidy is throwing a 4.40 ERA with 19 strikeouts and a 2-1 record. He’d love to catch Boston’s bats whiffing in this head-to-head meeting. Houston’s bats just need to be prepared to respond.
Will Eovaldi get his revenge? I’m sure Nathan Eovaldi hasn’t forgotten his run-in with the Astros last season. He couldn’t forget it even if he tried considering he gave up 11 hits and five earned runs, while walking three in the process. What better chance to get even than on the mound at Fenway Park on Tuesday?
There’s plenty of gusto surrounding Houston’s power at the plate, but the same isn’t the case for their scoring consistency. They’re a middle-of-the-pack team with a .310 OPS and 4.31 run-scoring average.
Boston has struggled at the plate, but they did find life against the Texas Rangers, minus a relatively quiet effort in the series finale.
It would help if Boston’s bats could find a way to crack Urquidy and the Astros defense, but this game will likely come down to the arm of Eovaldi and the bullpen. The Red Sox’s starting righty is throwing a 3.15 ERA and 1.08 WHIP to go along with a 1-1 record. Yes, he struggled against the Astros last season, but that was only one game and a different team that’s playing out there right now. This version of the Astros is no longer the No. 1-ranked run-scoring offense in the league.
Astros at Red Sox Tuesday, at 7:10 PM EST Clear According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 64° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 14 MPH wind blowing left to right in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 6:57:42 GMT -5
Red Sox on rise ahead of middle game of series vs. Astros FLM
Red Sox on rise ahead of middle game of series vs. Astros
The Boston Red Sox will look to make it back-to-back wins and four out of five when their three-game rematch of last year's American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros continues on Tuesday night in Boston.
Houston reliever Hector Neris had made 10 consecutive scoreless appearances before he was tagged for three runs in the eighth inning Monday during Boston's 6-3, series-opening win.
Prior to Monday, Houston had lost just once in a 13-game span. Meanwhile, Boston was coming off a 7-1 loss at Texas after beating the Rangers in back-to-back contests.
"It was big. They've been hot and we kind of haven't," Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez told NESN following the win over the Astros. "Coming off a good series against Texas, playing against (Houston), we all remember what happened last year. Every time we play them, there's a little more energy."
Martinez and Enrique Hernandez each went 2-for-4 while Trevor Story and Xander Bogaerts homered for Boston.
"It seems like he's seeing the ball well," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Martinez, who extended his hit streak to 17 games. "It started with the walks, and now he's doing damage."
Boston's Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 3.15 ERA) has pitched well all season, allowing three runs or less in all seven starts. However, the right-hander will look for his first win since April 13 when he takes the mound on Tuesday night.
Four of Eovaldi's five starts since then have been no-decisions, including his outing at Atlanta on Wednesday during which he struck out six Braves over 6 1/3 innings of three-run ball.
Eovaldi's 40 innings this season lead the Boston staff.
"I definitely take a lot of pride in (going deep into games)," Eovaldi recently told the Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass. "I think that's every starter's goal, to go out there and go nine innings. I know there's the stats the third time through the lineup how much better the batters are handling you. I think it helps that I have the five pitches that I can keep circulating through and keep them off balance."
Eovaldi is 1-2 with a 3.93 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings over six career regular-season starts against the Astros. He is 2-2 with a 5.09 ERA in five career postseason outings (three starts) vs. Houston.
The Astros hope to have rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena -- who grew up in Rhode Island and played at the University of Maine -- back in the lineup before leaving Fenway Park on Wednesday.
Pena hasn't played since Thursday due to a sore knee, but he worked out in front of coaches and trainers before the series opener in Boston.
"His mom put a little pressure on me," Houston manager Dusty Baker said before Monday's game. "His mom asked me, 'Is Jeremy going to play today? Because we have 1,000 people coming from Rhode Island.'"
Mauricio Dubon, acquired in a Saturday trade to add to the team's depth, filled in at shortstop for Houston the past two days. He logged his first hit as an Astro on Monday.
Jose Urquidy (2-1, 4.40 ERA) will start for Houston on Tuesday after consecutive no-decisions against the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. However, he allowed just one run overall in nine innings during those outings.
Urquidy, a right-hander, worked six scoreless innings on May 5 against the Tigers before his Wednesday start was suspended due to severe thunderstorms that arrived in Minneapolis.
Urquidy's first and only career start against the Red Sox came on May 31, 2021. He fanned nine Boston batters in six innings of three-hit, one-run ball, and he emerged with a win.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 7:01:09 GMT -5
A bizarre first pitch. Money guns. Chants. A much-needed wild night at Fenway Park Current Time 0:00 / Duration 1:44
By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 an hour ago
The ho-hums had seeped into the Boston baseball-following community over the past month. That's what living life 12 games out of first-place halfway through May will do.
But Monday night - with most of the New England sport world simply waiting for Celtics' tip-off 25 hours from first pitch - we were reminded that what might seem like an innocuous evening always had the potential for something memorable.
It happened on a night the Red Sox came away with a much-needed 6-3 win over the red-hot Astros at Fenway Park.
It started with one of the craziest first pitches in recent memory, was propelled by the timeliest of home runs (and subsequent celebration that went with it) and punctuated via a seemingly scripted chant-induced Xander Bogaerts homer.
THE FIRST PITCH
Steve Aoki - the heir to the Benihana fortune who has carved out his own niche as a world-famous DJ/music producer - did the honors.
Boy, did he ever. It was ... memorable.
THE MONEY GUNS
By the time the rain had stopped and the Red Sox and Astros were settling into the bottom the seventh, it was lining up as another 'oh, well' kind of night.
Another stellar outing by Garrett Whitlock (5 IP, 2 R) seemed destined to be spoiled thanks to an Astros 3-2 lead. But, seemingly out of nowhere, Trevor Story decided to surface his first real Fenway Park signature moment.
The second baseman took the third pitch of the bottom of the seventh over the left field wall to tie the game. And then came the celebration. The home run cart had taken on a new twist - money guns.
Cart upgrade. pic.twitter.com/jaj8St3P4q — Red Sox (@redsox) May 17, 2022
“Plough (Kevin Plawecki) gave it to me. I think it was (Alex Cora's) idea. I’m not sure. I’ll have to find out," Story said. He added, "It was cool. Didn’t know about them. Just kind of a surprise. Yeah, it’s all good fun. They just handed me the guns and I let them rip."
THE CHANT
While Red Sox fans try to pick through the causes of their team's existence, the constant conversation continues to be Xander Bogaerts' future.
It's why when the shortstop stepped to the plate with the game tied in the eighth inning with the Sox clinging to a one-run lead, the chants from the thinned-out Fenway crowd started to shower down.
"Re-sign Xander!"
Five pitches later ... boom ... two-run homer.
Xander says "good night." pic.twitter.com/KBN89r4JqV — Red Sox (@redsox) May 17, 2022
"Yeah, I heard it," Bogaerts said of the chant. "If I’d have struck out, it wouldn’t help my cause. He was throwing good pitches. He threw me a couple splitters. The last one I took before I hit the homer, I was like, after I took it, I was like, ‘Hey, that was a good take.’ He was tough. (Hector) Neris is tough. He just left a couple pitches over the plate. He had his stuff, so you had to be locked in.
"It’s always, you always feel the love and appreciation around here. Just coming up through the system and being here for a long time to this point, it’s been fun. A game that got a lot of rain, you don’t even know how many people are going to be sticking around and seeing if the game is going to go ahead. I heard it. I just told myself, ‘Listen, brother, just don’t strike out. Put it in play, see what happens – just don’t strike out.’"
What happened was the punctuation to a pretty memorable night. Who knew?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 17, 2022 11:03:54 GMT -5
Trevor Story’s first Fenway home run with Red Sox ties game in 8th: ‘That was one of our biggest swings of the season’ Updated: May. 17, 2022, 11:57 a.m. | Published: May. 17, 2022, 11:54 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Trevor Story sure made his first homer at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox count.
With Boston trailing, 3-2, in the seventh inning of Monday night’s game, Story launched a Phil Maton slider over the Green Monster to tie things up. His 428-foot shot was his second in his last 17 at-bats following a career-high 111 at-bats without a homer to start his Red Sox tenure.
For Story, circling the bases at Fenway while wearing home whites represented a special moment. He said he knew the ball was gone off the bat. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
“To get that first one out of the way at home was obviously a great feeling, in the spot that it came was pretty special,” Story said.
Story’s home run celebration was memorable as well. In addition to riding in the dugout laundry cart, as Red Sox hitters have been doing for three years, he got to fire off a couple of novelty money guns during his ride. While catcher (and cart commander) Kevin Plawecki was the one who handed Story the guns, it was manager Alex Cora who brought them to the park, according to Story. On Wednesday, when he homered in Atlanta, Story was showered with confetti. His second homer brought an even more outlandish reception.
“Everyone’s pulling for each other,” Cora said. “They had that celebration in Atlanta. Today, they had another one. We know who he is, we know what we can do. We talk every day. Here, everybody’s grinding. Coaches, players and staff members, with everybody. It’s not that if you’re doing well, you’re not suffering the other guy.”
Story had his best all-around game as a member of the Red Sox in their 6-3 win. He made a diving play to rob Alex Bregman of a hit in the third inning, then after his seventh-inning homer, stole his fourth base of the season in the ninth. After a bumpy start to his Red Sox tenure, it seems like Story is settling in.
“He has been swinging the bat well,” Cora said. “It’s just a matter of slowing down the game.
“We understand how important he is to what we’re trying to accomplish. He’s a good player,” the manager added. “Everybody knows it... The player is dynamic. It’s a great athlete. It’ll be fun when he gets going, just to help us win games.”
Story’s homer set the offense up to take the lead one inning later. After J.D. Martinez drove in Kiké Hernández with a go-ahead RBI double, Xander Bogaerts gave the Sox some breathing room with a two-run homer. Hansel Robles shut Houston down in the ninth to secure one of Boston’s best wins of the season.
Story’s blast was a big reason why.
“That was probably one of our biggest swings, definitely, of the season,” Bogaerts said. “Just getting us back in the game with one swing was better than trying to get some guys on and hoping something happened.”
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